Water is needed in huge amounts in tarsands production and in all other construction stages of tarsands infrastructure across the continent. It takes five litres of water to produce one of usable petrol. There is also water used to move gas, build new tar pits or that water which becomes polluted in the outlying areas. Waste tailings ponds are so vast as to be visible from outer space at this early point in production. Water is now being privatized in slow motion, as “access rights” are available in Alberta. As production grows and climate change continues to parch southern Albertan land, more and more water will be needed to help supply fuel for the American market. This water will ultimately be diverted from rivers, lakes, farms and cities throughout Canada; the water levels in the Athabasca River have already dropped several meters. The Deh Cho/Mackenzie River is already threatened, both from development along its valley and it is downstream from tar sands operations. A generation ago, the Athabasca River was clear and drinking was common. Now, those that live with the river consider it poison and off-limits.
Peak everything
http://www.energybulletin.net/34357.html
by Richard Heinberg
This issue is an edited version of the Introduction to Richard Heinberg's new book Peak Everything: Waking Up to the Century of Declines.
A few excerpts are posted here. See Global Public Media for the entire posting. -BA
Whistleblower MD returns to Fort Chipewyan
Last Updated: Thursday, August 16, 2007 | 5:06 PM CT
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2007/08/16/fortchip-oconnor.html
The doctor who blew the whistle on what he says are high cancer rates in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, visited the oilsands hamlet this week with a promise he would continue to fight for a health study in the community.
PSC denies request to delay hearing on pipeline for farmers
Janell Cole, Forum Communications Co.
Published Saturday, September 01, 2007
http://www.in-forum.com/News/articles/176882
BISMARCK – The Public Service Commission has denied a request by Keystone pipeline opponents to delay next week’s hearing on its proposed route.
The commission voted Friday during an emergency meeting to go ahead with Wednesday’s hearing, which Commissioner Kevin Cramer expects to continue into Thursday.
Seismic testing irks lakes' neighbours
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070830.ROSUM30/TPStor...
NORVAL SCOTT
August 30, 2007
CALGARY -- Calgary-based OSUM Oil Sands Corp. looks set to face more opposition to its controversial proposals to test for crude oil under two Alberta lakes, as a coalition of residents is planning to take its protests straight to Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach's door.
Earlier this month, Alberta regulators gave approval to privately held OSUM to conduct seismic testing at Marie Lake, 300 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.
Updating the book on global warming
by George Monbiot
Here is a portion of George Monbiot's speech at the Camp for Climate
Change in London August 18 2007 {1}. He has been studying and writing
about global warming for over twenty years and is the Author of Heat
(South End Press, 2007) which is about climate change and what needs to
be done about it. He explains that because of recent scientific
discoveries the book needs an extreme update.
Indymedia.org.uk (August 31 2007)
I'm going to start with some bad news, and the bad news is this. Two
Proposed crude oil pipeline threatens land, wastes energy
http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=176522§ion=Opinion&for...
By Janie Capp,
Published Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Regarding the proposed 1,830-mile, 30-inch crude oil pipeline coming from Alberta, Canada, across North Dakota, to Illinois and possibly farther.
Factoring Sustainability Into Alberta's Tar Sands Project
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/007166.html
Mindy Lubber
August 24, 2007 11:26 AM
There's much talk these days of capitalism and sustainability being increasingly interrelated -- that environmental and social impacts need to be included along with quarterly sales projections in corporate strategies and the financial bottom line. But why is this still more a concept than a reality, especially when it comes to a sustainability crisis like global warming?
Green Groups Seek Freeze on Canada Arctic Pipelines
http://www.cnbc.com/id/20516662
30 Aug 2007 | 03:33 PM ET
Regulators should slap a moratorium on pipelines in Canada's North because governments and oil companies have not planned for long-term environmental impacts, a green-group representative said Thursday.
Several environmental and social activists began submissions Thursday to the regulatory panel probing the C$16.2 billion ($15.3 billion) Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline on the proposed development's cumulative effects.
Carole James is, of course, correct to oppose a dramatic *increase* in global warming emissions brought about by the tar sands-fueling proposed nuclear plant near Peace River Alberta. However, another point that needs to be made for British Columbians is the fact that Tilma-- The Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement-- makes between provinces the same kind of impact as Chapter 11 of NAFTA; if the plants are approved in Alberta, by 2009 in both provinces such will not be allowed to be "interfered or impeded" with. Precedents become above legislation.
--M
Application to build a Nuclear Reactor in Northern Alberta/Peace River
Shaun Polczer, CanWest News Service
Published: Tuesday, August 28, 2007
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=d5f7f6ae-00ce-4...
The prospect of a nuclear-fuelled Alberta moved closer to reality after a Calgary-based company filed for a licence to build the province's first reactor.
